I have visited the Hillside SPCA twice this month and just two days ago adopted two lovely cats. It is feeling stressful right now as I work to encourage my cat Advent to accept the new family members, but I am hopeful that they will eventually enjoy (or at least tolerate) each other’s company. Below are the two new Hillside SPCA kitties who have moved in with me.

Please help me to spread the word about this upcoming concert by passing the announcement on to any music-lovers and cat lovers and dog lovers. Hug your pets today, and be in touch with me if you have any questions about this upcoming concert! =^..^=

I am happy to announce that I am planning to offer a special summer concert with my musical friends Emily Barrett, Mark Denchy, and Tom Flamini. This is a concert that will support the Hillside SPCA and the Schuylkill Haven Walk-In Art Center. Animals are so close to my heart; everyone who knows me well has heard me share about my beloved cats, and I am so excited to make music in order to benefit animals in need. I’m also excited to try out a new performance venue; the Schuylkill Haven Walk-In Art Center is a great space to visit. The center offers opportunities to interact with visual artists and performing artists and also to take classes and develop skills and express yourself creatively.

I hope that those of you who have attended my annual Christmas Benefit Concert at the Tamaqua Community Art Center will make the short trip to Schuylkill Haven to hear me perform there with Emily, Mark, and Tom as I lift my voice to support the animals and the arts in our local community, and I hope that I meet some new friends who possibly have never heard my music before and who find their way to this concert on the other side of Schuylkill County.

Please help me to spread the word by sharing about this upcoming concert with any music-lovers and cat lovers and dog lovers. Hug your pets today, and be in touch with me if you have any questions about this upcoming concert! =^..^=

To the man I witnessed on my walk, screaming at his dog and picking him up by his neck in anger after the dog had run ahead of him out the door…

It really bothered me when I witnessed you yell in such anger at your pet and then chase after him and pick him up by his neck. As I took a walk yesterday with my friend, I was walking with a heavy heart. I had just spent some quiet time with my cat Song who only has a short time left with my family. She has an oral tumor. I had just cleaned out the clear drainage from her eye that moistened her nose bridge & turned to God with a tear in my eye and prayed that Song would not suffer and that we would make the decisions that were best for her. I had just knelt down to pet Song and felt barely able to stand up again, as my whole body felt shaky in allowing myself to feel the fear about what comes next. I noticed I was barely breathing as I stood face to face with the frailty and fragility of life.

I tell you this not to make you sad. I tell you this to urge you to celebrate. Celebrate yourself, and celebrate your dog. Celebrate your time together. Celebrate even his misbehaviors, because they are signs of life. When he runs excitedly out the door, forgetting that he’s supposed to wait for you, overcome by the excitement of a beautiful, sunny day, fresh air, and people passing by, call him back and run after him with love in your heart, and then hug him. Hug him, and let him know you care. Let him know your life is better, because he’s with you. Let him know you’ll be with him until the end and will cradle his head as he takes his last breaths, remembering the times you played together and holding close to your heart that still frame of his furry face, reconnecting with that sweet feeling of walking in the door and knowing someone missed you and could not contain his excitement that you were home again.

I am not a judgmental person. I do not wish to criticize your ability to parent your dog, and I do not intend to chastise you as a person. I freely and willingly admit that I have been overwhelmed by life at many points, frustrated when others didn’t listen to me, tired of stuff going wrong again and again. I have screamed, said things I didn’t mean, and have hurt people whom I care about. I’ve been at my wit’s end. I’ve made choices that have been rooted in fear and resentment. I have approached tender hearts with violent words that raged and wounded. I’ve been broken and breathless after life threw incredible twists my way. And eventually, I returned to love. Thankfully, I returned to love.

My letter here is an invitation and a reminder. Please take some time today and look in the eyes of those you love – humans and pets. Simply and quietly say, “I love you.” Say anything else that’s on your heart. Breathe together. Enjoy the sensations as you stroke your lover’s skin or pet your best friend’s fur, and know this moment is a gift that will not always be available to you. Vow to hug more often. Slow down and make time for walks outside and playful exchanges. Remember to laugh at silly things. Appreciate. Wag more and bark less. Purr more and hiss less. Forgive. Allow for mistakes – on others’ part and on your part. And if you are a person who prays, please offer up a prayer for my cat Song and for me and for every pet who is facing health challenges and approaches his or her final days. Send some positive energy out to those pet parents who are taking their dogs for that final walk and loading their cats into a carrier to get that lethal injection because the suffering has grown too unbearable and there is no cure. And I will think of you in a wave of compassion and bless you and your dog. Thank you for reading this, and thank you for inspiring my reflection and my recommitment to love across the board.